Synchronization control system

• US 7,765,003 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sunshine Heart Company Pty, Ltd. (Nuwellis, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sunshine Heart Company Pty, Ltd. (Nuwellis, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parkin, Rodney Gordon, Peters, William Suttle
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behringer; Luther G
• Application Number:
  US10/595,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 381/67, 600/16, 600/17, 600/481, 600/513, 607/17, 607/57, 607/61
• US Class Current: 607/18
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/352 Detecting R peaks, e.g. for synchronising diagnostic apparatus; Estimating R-R interval
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/161 mechanically acting upon the outside of the patient's blood vessel structure, e.g. compressive structures placed around a vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/191 mechanically acting upon the outside of the patient's native heart, e.g. compressive structures placed around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/274 the inlet and outlet being the same, e.g. para-aortic counter-pulsation blood pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/289 Devices for mechanical circulatory actuation assisting the residual heart function by means mechanically acting upon the patient's native heart or blood vessel structure, e.g. direct cardiac compression [DCC] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/468 the force acting on the actuation means being hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/515 Regulation using real-time patient data
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/531 using blood pressure data, e.g. from blood pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/569 synchronous with the native heart beat
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/873 specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/88 Percutaneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36514 controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36528 : the parameter being measured by means of ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36578 : controlled by mechanical motion of the heart wall, e.g. measured by an accelerometer or microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 : Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371

Abstract

A method of controlling the operation of a pulsatile heart assist device (14) in a patient (10). The method consisting of utilising sounds produced by the heart (12) to control the operation of the heart assist device (14).

Claims

1. In an apparatus for controlling the pulsations of a heart assist device to alternate between compression of a blood vessel and withdrawal of compression of the blood vessel in a timed relationship with the pulsing of a patient'"'"'s heart, wherein said heart assist device comprising:

a pump for generating fluid pressure;

an inflatable cuff for applying said pressure to blood in a blood vessel;

a fluid for transmitting said pressure between said pump for generating fluid pressure and said inflatable cuff for applying said pressure, the improvement comprising a microphone positioned within said fluid, the microphone being adapted to detect heart sounds in said blood vessel conveyed to said microphone through said fluid.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heart sounds detected by the microphone are utilized in controlling the operation of said heart assist device.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluid is a gas.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microphone is positioned within said fluid within, or proximal to, the pump.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said pressure is applied to said inflatable cuff and said inflatable cuff in turn applies said pressure to the exterior of said blood vessel.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressure is directly applied to the exterior of said blood vessel.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said pressure is applied to the exterior of an aorta.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heart assist device initiates a change in its pulsatile state in response to electrical detection of an R-wave in a patient'"'"'s heart rhythm and returns to the pulsatile state it had before the preceding R-wave in response to said microphone detecting said heart sound created by closure of the patient'"'"'s aortic valve.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inflatable cuff includes a flexible membrane and said flexible membrane applies said pressure to the blood in the blood vessel.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fluid is a liquid.